In this Haytoug Talks pre-season special, our hosts sit down with Fr. Khajag Shahbazyan from Burbank California's St. Leon Armenian Cathedral, to discuss Armenian Christmas. Unlike other Christian denominations, the Armenian Apostolic Church celebrates the Nativity of Christ on January 6. Why is it celebrated on this date, and what makes the Armenian Christmas holiday and tradition so unique? We hope you enjoy, and have a very Merry Christmas!

Tune in to hear us reflect on our first official season! Thank you to everyone for listening. 

White phosphorus can melt through steel - you can only imagine the horrifically devastating impacts it has on the environment and its human victims. Though we may not be surprised at the long list of war crimes at the hands of Azerbaijani government, what is surprising is that despite the desolating power of white phosphorus, its use in war is not yet clearly recognized under international law. Here to fill us in on this terrifying fact is Fin DePencier, multimedia journalist who has been in Armenia since the peak of the war.

Syunik is the southernmost province of Armenia, an indispensable piece of historical homeland that serves as a lifeline for Armenia’s survival. Syunik’s stunning landscapes and holy mountains go hand in hand with its rich history of royal dynasties, heroic battles and ancient landmarks. We invited our resident historian and good friend Christopher John Khachadour, who returns to the show to take us through the region’s story over the millennia. With the impending danger that Azerbaijan poses on Syunik since Artsakh’s occupation this past year, it’s time to learn about the story of Syunik.

Most of us have been on the receiving end of a constant unprecedented news stream this last year. But for those routinely providing this crucial information, it is a whole other feat. We spoke to Araksya Karapetyan about life in the newsroom, behind the screen - what brought her into the journalism and media space, what keeps her drawn to it, and how to keep up with its ever changing nature.

“Kef” (Party) music is a dance-oriented style of Armenian-American music that arose in the United States during the first half of the 20th century, as an expansion on the traditional and popular musical heritage of Ottoman Armenians. A generation later, Armenian-American musicians in the mid 20th century, while continuing to play their “Kef” traditional music, also began to experiment and fuse their musical traditions and styles with American Jazz, Country, Pop and all sorts of musical genres. Andrew Hagopian, a Master Oud player, will take us through our diaspora's musical pastime, as we explore examples of this Armenian-American cultural fusion, as well as some classic folk songs played on the Oud by Mr. Oud Jr.

Many traditions and customs of our ancestors have been lost or forgotten as a result of our dispossession from Armenia, or simply through time. Today we are uncovering one of these hidden traditions, hardly known to Armenians around the world - Harsneren, or “language of the bride.” Harsneren is the sign language developed and employed by newly wed Armenian women who historically, and still in many regions today, are not allowed to speak until granted permission by their husbands or husband’s family. Tune into our fascinating conversation with researcher Carla Kekejian on the first formal study of this incredibly impactful, yet consequential phenomenon.

Inspiration often comes through exceptional moments. In this case, it comes in the form of an exceptional human being - Mari Manoogian - the talented, 28 year old Armenian Michigan State Representative who is changing the game. We spoke to Manoogian about her recent accomplishments, the role of Armenian culture in her political identity, upcoming expectations for the Biden Administration and hopes on Genocide recognition coming this April 24th.

This past year saw a resurgence in conversations about race and power in the West; particularly here in the United States. We reflect with our guest Kohar Avakian, an American Studies Ph.D student at Yale University, on Armenian Racial Identity. Armenian identity is layered and complex, as our exile has forced us to become citizens of the world. Having an immense and beautiful diaspora also means having nuanced interpretations of what that Armenian identity looks like - most notably, Armenian racial identity. In the Cartozian Case of 1924, Tatos Cartozian was initially denied citizenship in the U.S, after physically arriving in court and being deemed not white. Upon contesting, he was given citizenship under the pretense that Armenians were majority Christian and the expectation that they would be able to assimilate right away. Important historical bookmarks like these help contextualize the evolution of Armenian racial identity and inform how we and others view our own identity, today.

Armenian Ethnic Folk Dance is making a comeback into our collective cultural consciousness. With this week's guest, Alex Avaneszadeh, we discuss how Ethnic Armenian Folk dance is more than just dance; it's an ancient form of expression that evokes the ethos of Armenian life and all it encompasses. The purpose of these dances are not only to be performed on stage, but to bond folks and compliment the spirit of life's many circumstances, from life and harvest to war and death.

To learn these dances from the comfort of your own home, you can find the link to signup in our social media bios.